The Dolomites don\’t look real. That was my first thought standing at the base of Tre Cime di Lavaredo, watching the jagged peaks turn pink in the alpenglow of sunset, and it\’s a thought that repeated itself nearly every day of the ten I spent hiking through this corner of northern Italy. This photo essay documents that journey misty mornings on mountain trails where the clouds sat below me instead of above, impossibly turquoise alpine lakes reflecting the peaks like glass, and tiny rifugios tucked into the mountainside where I warmed up with polenta and local wine after long days of hiking. I share the specific trails behind each image, the early wake-up calls required to catch the best light, and the physical challenge of chasing these views on foot, camera in hand, legs burning. There\’s a particular photograph of a lone larch tree turning gold against a granite cliff face that I still consider one of my favorites I\’ve ever taken and I tell you exactly how a wrong turn led me to it. This is a visual diary for anyone who\’s ever looked at a mountain photograph and felt an ache to be there. Ten days changed how I see landscapes entirely, and I hope these images do the same for you.
